Wigan Warriors prop seeks Grand Final glory 12 months on from bittersweet Old Trafford moment

They say good things come to those who wait.

Wigan Warriors prop Ethan Havard wants to leave Old Trafford this year smiling – with it being almost a year to the day since his maiden Grand Final experience left a ‘pretty hollow’ feeling in his stomach.

It was a bittersweet moment for the 23-year-old this time last year. His Wigan side were crowned Super League champions after beating Catalans Dragons 10-2: but Havard, playing his first in game in three months following a hamstring tear, limped off after 10 minutes of entering the action from the bench.

The England international had suffered a recurrence of the same injury despite undergoing months of strict rehabilitation and recovery protocol.

The gamble to play him had backfired – but Havard has no regrets over how last year’s final panned out as he aims to mark his mark with Matt Peet’s side in Saturday’s showpiece against Hull KR following an outstanding season: both individually and collectively with his hometown club.

“It was pretty tough last year,” said the Bulgaria-born front-rower. “I kind of questioned whether I would do it or not, I don’t regret it because I learned a lot from it, I just want to get it right this time.

“It was a pretty hollow feeling. Obviously I was proud of the lads and what they did but I didn’t feel as though I put much towards the result which wasn’t a good feeling so this year I want to do it right and put a good performance out there.

“It’s been a pretty different preparation for me this time, obviously being fully fit now, I’m going into it feeling pretty confident, my body is good and I’m just ready to go.

“I’ve been able to build towards the final a bit more this year. Obviously I’ve had a good string of games this year so I roll into it feeling good.”

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And, quite fittingly, it will be Havard’s 100th appearance for the Warriors in Saturday’s big dance with the Robins at the Theatre of Dreams.

“It’s pretty mad how it’s all aligned up,” Havard told Love Rugby League. “It’s pretty special, but obviously I’m not really focusing on that this week, it’s about the bigger prize at the end of it.

“It’s been a good season, another consistent year with winning the League Leaders’ Shield, it’s something we’re proud of. But it’s just been enjoyable, we enjoy training every day so it’s good to come into work.”

A crowd of more than 65,000 are expected inside Old Trafford on Saturday, with Wigan and Hull KR supporters snapping up their tickets both in-person and online as the game heads for a sell-out.

But how does a player handle an occasion of this magnitude: both mentally and emotionally?

“Obviously the game’s the same, we’ve still got to put a good performance out,” Havard replied. “We probably won’t be thinking too much about emotions.

“Emotions are part of it and you’ve got to learn to use them but it’s just about being calm in those moments.”

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